Contact details

School of EducationUniversity of BirminghamEdgbaston, BirminghamB15 2TT, United Kingdom

Graeme is the head of the Disability Inclusion and Special Needs (DISN) department. DISN is the largest department of its kind in the UK and comprises over 25 academics researching and studying in the field of inclusion, SEN and disability.

Qualifications

PhD

BSc.(Hons)

Biography

Graeme joined the School of Education, University of Birmingham, as a researcher in 1993 having completed his PhD in the area of individual differences in learning and computer-based presentation (also at Birmingham). Prior to this, he completed a degree in human psychology and computer science at Aston University.

Graeme has been the principal investigator and manager on many high-profile externally funded research projects in the area of visual impairment and SEN. He teaches research methods and supervises research students.

Teaching

Graeme’s main teaching activities are in the area of research methods training for research students. He contributes to College of Social Science (CoSS) Postgraduate Research Training. His teaching particularly focuses upon methods of data collection and analysis and research design, as well as a particular interest in researching disability. He also supervises doctoral research students working in the area of visual impairment in particular and disability and SEN in general.

Postgraduate supervision

Graeme supervises and co-supervises ten research students. This includes Önder İslek who is investigating the balance of the school curriculum content for pupils with visual impairment in Turkey.

Research

He has broad research interests around the social and educational inclusion of visually impaired people, as well as educational outcomes and SEN generally. More specifically his research includes: visually impaired people's views and circumstances, education and visual impairment, various aspects of reading / information access and visual impairment, curriculum balance and VI/SEN, educational outcomes and transition into adulthood, research methods. Central to Graeme’s work is a commitment to representing disabled people’s views and opinions..

Publications

Selected Publications

McLinden, M., Douglas, G., Cobb, R., Hewett, R. and Ravenscroft, J. (2016) Access to learning’ and ‘learning to access’: Analysing the distinctive role of specialist teachers of children and young people with vision impairments in facilitating curriculum access through an ecological systems theory. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 34, pp 177-195, DOI:10.1177/0264619616643180

Douglas, G., McLinden, M., Robertson, C., Travers, J., and Smith, E. (2016) Including pupils with special educational needs and disability in national assessment: Comparison of three country case studies through an inclusive assessment framework. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 63(1), 98-121.

Douglas, G., and Hewett, R. (2014) Views of independence and readiness for employment amongst young people with visual impairments in the UK. The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling, 20 (2), 81–99.

Smith, E. and Douglas, G. (2014) Special educational needs, disability and school accountability: an international perspective. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 18(5), 443–458.

Douglas, G., Pavey, S. Corcoran, C. and Clements, B. (2012). Evaluating the use of the ICF as a framework for interviewing people with a visual impairment about their mobility and travel. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 30(1) 6–21 DOI: 10.1177/0264619611428932

Douglas, G., McLinden, M., McCall, S., Pavey, S., Ware, J., and Farrell, A. (2011). Access to print literacy for children and young people with visual impairment: findings from a review of literature. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 26, 1, 25-38. DOI: 10.1080/08856257.2011.543543

Douglas, G., McLinden, M., Farrell, A., Ware, J., McCall, S., and Pavey, S., (2011). Access to print literacy for children and young people with visual impairment: implications for policy and practice. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 26, 1, 39-46. DOI: 10.1080/08856257.2011.543544

Douglas, G., Pavey, S., Corcoran, C. and Eperjesi, F. (2010). Individuals' recollections of the experiences in eye clinics and understanding of their eye condition: results from a survey of visually impaired people in Britain. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 30, 6, 748-757

Douglas, G., McCall, S., McLinden, M., Pavey, S. Ware, J. and Farrell, A. (2010) International review of the literature of evidence of best practice models and outcomes in the education of blind and visually impaired children. National Council for Special Education, Ireland. 192pp. http://www.ncse.ie/